Successful interviews are two-way interactions. Both parties ask questions of each other, building rapport and sharing information to ensure proper fit for the opportunity at hand. Of course, this isn’t a matter of asking just any questions. In Chesapeake Bay Management Group interviews, for instance, we’re most impressed when we receive purposeful inquiries.

In fact, there’s one question that stands out above all others. When a candidate asks, “What does success in this role look like?” we know we’ve found a promising applicant. According to career expert Katharine Brooks, “This question gives you ‘insider information’ about the position and the interviewer’s perspective on the organization. This is the type of information you can’t find on the internet.”

The response to this question goes a long way toward impressing the interviewee. Chesapeake Bay Management Group hiring managers prefer to describe the goals for the position and the soft skills needed to meet them. As Lynn Taylor, another career expert, states, “Their response will likely elicit such invaluable input as specific skills they seek (you’ll pick up a lot more nuances than what’s included in a written job listing); the real priorities for the job (you’ll know this because of emphasis and time spent on each); an inside perspective of what it takes to secure the position (they’re in effect telling you specifically how to sell yourself according to their needs); and their culture, work ethic expectations, and style.”

This question is central to landing a job offer. Like Chesapeake Bay Management Group on [Facebook] to find out more on our hiring process.